Hong Kong Exports Hit Record HK$641.1 Billion in June 2026

Hong Kong's merchandise exports reached a record HK$641.1 billion in June 2026, a 53.4% year-on-year increase and the highest monthly growth rate since March 1984. Total exports for the first half of 2026 grew 39.1% to HK$3,416.0 billion, driven by global demand for artificial intelligence infrastructure, including data processing machines, telecommunications equipment, and electrical machinery.

Bruce Pang, Director of Research at the Hong Kong Trade Development Council, attributed this surge to the accelerated adoption of AI worldwide. This growth helped narrow the foreign trade deficit to HK$52.0 billion in June, down from HK$59.0 billion the previous year. Significant shipment increases were recorded to the United States (114.3%), Mexico (94.2%), Singapore (83.0%), Taiwan (79.9%), and Mainland China (59.2%).

Despite the growth, the United States government imposed new 12.5% tariffs on imports from Hong Kong and China effective July 24, 2026, citing concerns over forced labor. The Hong Kong Trade Development Council expects the impact to be limited because existing exemptions cover many of the electronic products that constitute the bulk of shipments to the U.S. However, officials warned that re-escalating geopolitical tensions in the Middle East and potential monetary policy tightening by central banks to fight inflation could moderate growth momentum in the coming months.